Florida: An Ideal Cattle StateFlorida State Live Stock Association
History
Florida: An Ideal Cattle State
Florida State Live Stock Association
Cattle -- Florida
On most of the Florida flatwood soils carpet grass is much more
aggressive than Bermuda, and in time will, if left alone, completely
replace the Bermuda. To a large extent this can be obviated by plowing
the pastures whenever the carpet grass seems to be obtaining the upper
hand. Unfortunately, we do not know the relative values of equal areas
of Bermuda grass and of carpet grass where the latter is most
aggressive. Carpet grass does not grow so tall, but is green for a
longer period. It may, indeed, be found more economical not to try to
save the Bermuda after the carpet grass crowds it. From observations, I
am inclined to believe that neither the carrying capacity nor the feed
values per acre of the two grasses is greatly different on most flatwood
soils. If this be true, it would not be economy to go to any particular
trouble to retain the Bermuda instead of the carpet grass.
At McNeill the pasturage on areas that have long been closely grazed is
carpet grass. Unfortunately, no experiments have been conducted to
compare these two grasses as to ease of establishment and as to carrying
capacity. Carpet grass produces abundant good seed, and therefore
spreads much more rapidly than Bermuda, which rarely produces seed in
humid regions.
It is found necessary to remove the stumps at McNeill, because for the
first year or two on the plowed ground, weeds, especially "fennel" or
"Yankee weed," appear abundantly, and must be mowed or they will kill
the grasses by shading. Mowing with the stumps on the land is
impracticable, as the weeds conceal many of the stumps.
Whether it is practicable to establish good permanent pastures without
stumping and plowing the land is yet an unsolved problem. About every
Florida settlement where the town cattle graze, there is good pasture,
commonly carpet grass. You will find just this on the outskirts of
Jacksonville. Such pasturage has been established by heavy continuous
grazing, under which conditions the broom sedge and wire grass are
exterminated, while the creeping carpet grass comes in and persists. It
may be that the manure of the animals is also a factor, and there can
scarcely be a question that the trampling helps. As an example of this
kind occurs about nearly every Florida town, it would seem as if it
could be duplicated on cattle ranches. I have suggested to several
cattlemen that it is worth trying on a scale by three methods: (1)
Simply burning the native grass in winter; (2) burning, followed by
disking or harrowing; and (3) plowing among the stumps.
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